In an industry where human rights abuses, particularly towards people with physical disabilities appears to be the norm often resulting in negligent deaths it is shocking that the abuse is allowed to continue.
Several hospitals in the Durban metropolitan area has comprised the well-being of patients through negligence, unwillingness to help, lack of resources and medical personal.
When one looks at security staff at King Edward VIII and some of the other hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal, the public is often ill-treated, insulted and treated as if they were entering a military campus, met by a “military guard,” short of being armed with automatic rifles.
These unhelpful security staffs send patients from pillar to post, gate to gate instead of helping and apparently directing the public before these patients can actually even enter the premises. Low and behold, of little surprise, a little investigation revealed that these guards act on instructions from above, not to mitigate their own bad attitudes toward the public.
Another example at King Edward VIII, as at certain other hospitals, and negative publicity, parking for disabled patients is non-existent, Disabled patients are told to park in the street, and making it extremely difficult for these patients to access the hospital, particularly those who may be unassisted. This is a violation of existing laws “legal compliances,” the constitution and the United Nations (CRPD) Civil Rights of Persons with Disabilities, requirements to which SA is a signatory, requiring the government to legislate, implement such laws as agreed with at the UN and obligated to ensure it’s compliance and enforcement, in its entirety. The government has had six years or more to become compliant, yet very little at all has been done.
The situation as it relates to persons with disabilities in SA is beyond understanding. Staff and management either have no training and understanding of these people’s situations or have no concern whatsoever. There are times, when patients were left sitting in their own urine and wet clothes for almost three hours, despite the sister in charge, having seen the pool of water below the wheelchair and was requested for help by the patient. In a shocking twist, the cleaner mopping up had more empathy and understanding, for the patient than any nursing staff present.
In one instance, a disabled person in a wheelchair asked for assistance when the catheter bag (or Leg bag) started leaking and was told they don’t keep any. After receiving one from a fellow patient, he asked for help with the catheter and to clean himself, but was bluntly told that there is nobody to help. Being disabled and unable to help yourself is humiliating, embarrassing and robs people of their dignity, the ensuing neglectful attitudes of nursing staff, add injury to insult for such patients. It is a violation of the Constitution, that states that everyone has the right to human dignity and be treated humanely.
As found to be the case at King Edward hospital in Durban. Scopes cannot be done on patients most of the time. A patient diagnosed with severe anemia due to an unknown cause, of internal blood loss, needed an urgent scope but has been waiting for six months now. The reason is that the equipment is old and often breaks down resulting in delays and additional suffering for patients. Doctors and staff wishing to help these patients are equally frustrated, and powerless to do anything. This is further compounded by the patient’s own referring doctors, who cannot treat their patients adequately as they are unable to get a proper diagnosis as a result of broken equipment. In a simple explanation; No equipment = no proper diagnoses = inadequate, or incorrect treatment = Loss of life.
In numerous cases, lives are and have been lost due to practitioner negligence. In some cases, lack of life-saving equipment, or arrogant security contractors (guards) giving fatal medical instructions, as in one known case, to remove the patient off life-saving oxygen, because the oxygen bottle does not belong to the hospital, and must be taken out immediately, resulting in the death of the patient.
One patient stated that the condition of the RK Khan and King Edward hospitals are so shocking, filthy and unhygienic, you could see the bugs running on the curtains and other surfaces, over and above the dirty and severely neglected conditions inside the hospitals.
It is now time for the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to investigate the dilemma.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
